In order to implement its Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund (ACHF) projects, the Minnesota Historical Society employs an ACHF Program Coordinator to oversee the program administration. The Society is also supporting administration of the grants program and expanded financial management and administrative functions. The Society is diligently working to keep administrative costs low while adhering to the legislative mandate that costs be “directly related to and necessary for a specific appropriation.”
The primary goals of this project will be to expand American Indian studies curriculum offerings to include language practice and introduce theories or language development and revitalization to support more college students to fluency in the language and culture. Additionally, this project will develop advanced Ojibwe language to allow intermediate Anishinaabe speakers to become more advanced and fluent in the language.
Phase two of a project to improve intellectual control of the stored 3-D collections by contiuing the partial-inventory of artifacts. During this phase of the inventory 2,155 objects were recorded making the total number recorded so far 4,461 or approximately 18% of the objects to be inventoried. Information garnered during the process will aid the determination of the amount of storage needed and the supplies necessary for proper storage and preservation. Once complete, the inventory will aid exhibit planning and creation.
Funding for Percussive “Dance That Makes Music” Residencies in three Twin Cities area high schools that will provide youth with an opportunity to work with professional percussive dancers and choreographers over the course of 2 to 4 weeks.
Funding to produce and stage 16 site-specific performances of Shakespeare’s comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor adapted as an operetta. The project will take place in summer 2011.
A professional quality book documenting the stories of refugees in Minnesota is now in print. The book, "This Much I Can Tell You", was self-published by the Minnesota Council of Chuches Refugee Service. It is a compilation of eighteen stories told by local refugees, from nine different countries, who have resettled in Minnesota after fleeing their country of origin. The 980 books printed through this project make important refugee histories accessible to a wider Minnesota audience.
To remodel an existing commercial building to be established as the Pillager Arts Center. The Pillager Arts Center will be an epicenter for arts education for the community and serve as a space where people can interact with other creative minds.
Funding to produce and stage Shakespeare’s All’s Well That Ends Well. Performances will take place in May 2011 at Walker Community Church in Minneapolis.
A general Conservation Assessment of and Long Range Plan for the preservation of the library's local history collections was prepared by Wabasha Public Library. The Library contracted with the Midwest Art Conservation Center to complete the project. The Plan will be used to set preservation policies, to identify storage and environmental needs, to make recommendations for disaster preparedness and to develop policy and procedures for the collections
Dakota Wicohan is engaged in a multi-phased oral history project on the Minnesota Dakota language, the state's first language. For this phase of the project, Dakota Wicohan catalogued twenty-three (23) interviews and recordings of elders, elder speakers, language programs and activists. Identified themes included military service, Dakota values, advice for language learners and reasons for language loss.
(Amount adjusted to eliminate ineligible overhead expenses.)
MNHS continues actively preserving and making accessible newspapers published in the state. In FY16, MNHS concentrated efforts on the backlog of hardcopy newspapers, piloting an approach to microfilming and digitizing issues in mass quantity to reduce the physical storage burden and increase access for researchers and local historical societies. MNHS also began testing in-house digitization of current newspapers, securing equipment and developing processes and staff expertise to support this activity. Online access continues to be offered through the Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub.
To improve lighting in the the building that houses horticulture and FFA projects at the Dodge County Free Fair. Funds will also be used to construct a mobility ramp, allowing fairgoers with mobility restrictions to access exhibits showcasing local work.
To fabricate and install 26 interpretive markers along portions of Minnesota highways 104, 55, 28 and 29
The grant assisted in hiring a consultant to review and revise 26 historical markers and pictorial tables to make a determination regarding historical accuracy and to facilitate Tribal consultation and input for the Glacial Ridge Trail Scenic Byway Interpretive Signage Project along portions of Minnesota highways 104, 55, 28 and 29.
To improve the arts display area at the Goodhue County Fair. Funds will be used to upgrade display cases and shelves, improve lighting by replacing and repairing windows, and making the building handicap accessible.
A pocket guide to historic locations in and near Redwood Falls was created to make people more aware of the historical and cultural significance of the buildings and sites in the area. This is the first collection of historic sites in this form to be made accessible to the public in the region. Copies of the Guide were distributed at City Hall, City Library, the Chamber of Commerce and Redwood County Historical Society.
The Minnesota Historical Society is developing creative, hands-on learning projects for K-12 students that adhere to state social studies standards and introduce students to important aspects of Minnesota and U.S. history. For example, students will explore the role of slavery in American history by examining historical newspapers, letters and laws and by watching a series of dramatic portrayals of Dred and Harriet Scott who lived at Fort Snelling in the 1830s. These projects will be made accessible to teachers around the state and around the country in 2013.
Through a competitive process, the Heritage Partnership Program awards grants to historical organizations statewide to support programs that will build the capacity of partnering organizations to preserve and enhance access to Minnesota's history and cultural resources. The program supports the creation and development of sustainable, history-based partnerships throughout the state.
To reduce wear on fifty Minneapolis high school yearbooks, dating from 1890-1922, they were made accessible to the public through digitization. This highly used collection is housed in the Minneapolis Central Library's Special Collection.
The digitized books can now be found online at the Hennepin County Library homepage and on its Special Collections page. They are searchable by keyword or can be veiwed page-by-page.
A professional heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) engineer was hired to conduct an HVAC evaluation comparing the relative merits and costs of a conventional HVAC system with a geothermal system. The result was the geothermal system was more expensive with a fifty-year payback term. Purchasing a conventional system was recommended as the upgrade for meeting climate standards.
In order to more closely meet national museum standards, the MDC purchased the StEPS program and created a PastPerfect database that recorded information on 4,037 objects in their collections. Objects documenting Iron Range history were identified and inventoried. The inventory process included moving an object to a processing location, writing descriptions, researching the objects function and name, noting the objects location and then entering the data collected into the database. Then the object was re-packaged and returned to its home location.
